Joel Embiid proved himself at Kansas but had his season cut short by injury. / Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports

by Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY Sports

by Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY Sports

Right as the battle for the No. 1 pick was becoming clear, front-runner Joel Embiid suffered an injury that could shake up the NBA draft.

The Cleveland Cavaliers seemed poised to draft Embiid with the first pick instead of other viable candidates Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker. But that's in serious jeopardy now. In a similar situation last year, the Cavs bypassed taking Nerlens Noel with the No. 1 pick because the forward was recovering from a serious knee injury.

The surgery went well Friday, according to a news release from Embiid's agent, Arn Tellem

"Two screws were inserted into the navicular bone in Joel Embiid's right foot," surgeon Richard Ferkel said in the release. "The surgery went very well and I'm confident that after appropriate healing he will be able to return to NBA basketball. Joel tolerated the surgery without difficulty and will begin his rehabilitation in the near future."

No timetable was given on his return to the court.

Embiid's talent and upside have never been in question. He's drawn comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon for his finesse and footwork. And he told USA TODAY Sports last month, "I want to be a Hall of Famer."

But his health has been an issue. After breaking out at Kansas in his freshman season, the 7-footer missed the Big 12 and NCAA tournament with a back injury.

"Joel Embiid suffered a stress fracture to the navicular bone in his right foot," Tellem said in a release Thursday. "He is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow. Joel will be unable to participate in any additional workouts, and will not attend the draft in New York. We will have no further comment until after the surgery."

This year's draft is deep enough that the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, who hold the second and third picks, could pass on Embiid as well. There's even a chance he could slide out of the top five - and the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have the sixth and seventh picks.

Small forwards Andrew Wiggins of Kansas and Jabari Parker of Duke are the leading contenders to replace Embiid atop draft boards. And there's a chance that Australian point guard Dante Exum could be in the mix to sneak in the top three now based on team needs and the severity of Embiid's injury.

Embiid, who participated in a workout in front of NBA teams in Santa Monica, Calif., was scheduled to work out for the Milwaukee Bucks later this week.